Wings Over Gillespie Air Show

“The Pacific Princess,” a B-25 bomber, takes off at the Wings Over Gillespie Air Show at Gillespie Field. Howard Lipin • U-T photos

For the 17th annual Wings Over Gillespie Air Show, 2012 is a year of milestones. It marks the 70th anniversary of World War II and the Gillespie air field, as well as the 100th anniversary of the birth of Marine Corps aviation and the city of El Cajon, which houses the air field.

Gillespie Field is home to Air Group One, the San Diego wing of the Commemorative Air Force, which is dedicated to the preservation of World War II aircraft and the history of World War II aviation.

According to air show chairman John Telles,﻿ this emphasis on history will be the key focus of this year’s show.

“During World War II,” Telles said, “Gillespie Field was used as a parachute training school for the Marine Corps. This year will feature a spectacular parachute jump to commemorate that history.”

Telles is a part of that history himself. After serving as a Marine Corps pilot during the Vietnam War, he flew Marine One, the presidential helicopter, under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He has received three Distinguished Flying Crosses and 63 Air Medals.

The main theme for this year’s show will be the 100th anniversary of Marine Corps aviation. The show will include a Marine Corps marching band from Miramar along with Marine Corps helicopters and planes, including the Marine F8G Crusader,﻿ Telles’ personal favorite, on which he has logged more than 1,000 hours of flight.

Performing aircraft will include the Northrop N9M, a precursor to the modern stealth bomber, and a Super Corsair Goodyear F2G that was built in 1945.

The show, however, places an equally large emphasis on grounded aircraft scheduled for display. One of the most touted planes is the massive Boeing B17 “Sentimental Journey,” manufactured in 1944, which has been used for photo-mapping, nuclear weapons tests and forest fires. Another is the North American B-25J Mitchell ﻿known as “Maid in the Shade,” which saw combat over the Mediterranean during World War II. These planes come from the Arizona wing of the Commemorative Air Force, but many others are on loan from the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

For Rich Kenney,﻿ marketing director of Air Group One, Gillespie Field’s unique identity stems not only from its history but also from its up-close-and-personal atmosphere.

“We focus more on vintage aircraft,” Kenney said, “and because (Gillespie Field) is smaller, people can get up and touch the aircraft. A lot of air shows don’t let you do that.”